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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Review & Giveaway: Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella (Book Tour)

Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was
haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams
foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To
do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the
palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter
and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her
side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new
dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s
plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the
gods.

A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to decide her own fate.

I am fascinated with Troy and Helen and Paris, I don't read as much as I would like. What drew me to this book was that it wasn't about the Trojan Wars but about Helen before Paris came into the picture.

This book was written in a way that grabbed me right from the beginning, feeling the anxiety that Helen felt as a result of nightmares she experienced. Knowing the ultimate fate of Helen I couldn't help rooting for her as she endeavors to escape her ultimate destiny - to launch a thousand ships because of her great beauty. The author portrayed Helen as a real woman who cared about others, Sparta and deflecting a devastating war. She was a woman with feelings and at the mercy of others, which is a nice change from how she is usually portrayed.

The descriptive writing was something I enjoyed, it wasn't hard to visualize the settings, what life was like in that time period. Mixing Greek mythology with historical facts, ancient legends and fiction made this a very enjoyable read. Definitely an author I will be on the lookout for more of (a sequel maybe??).

Buy the Book

Amalia Carosella graduated from the University of North Dakota with a
bachelors degree in Classical Studies and English. An avid reader and
former bookseller, she writes about old heroes and older gods. She lives
with her husband in upstate New York and dreams of the day she will own
goats (and maybe even a horse, too).

For more information, visit her
blog at www.amaliacarosella.com. She also writes fantasy and paranormal romance as Amalia Dillin.